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 Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 12:28 pm
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Iyõ had decided the only practical way to confirm her choice was to get to talk to the male she was leaning towards. Most of the time she had nothing to do with the lions. They were there for a purpose, and their purpose didn't really involve her. Sure, if there were announcements or something of equal important nature she was there, listening, like the rest of the lionesses. But she never actively sought any of them out for conversation.
Except for now.
She'd decided on the brown lion, Ahlaq. At least, she'd decided on him for now. She was taking her mate choice very seriously. Umkhombo, she'd decided, would probably be the one all the girls were after, so she'd decided to go with one of the other males that had come with him. Ahlaq, from a distance, seemed perfectly suitable as a choice to father her cubs. But she wanted to have a chat to him, make herself sure of her decision.
Now she just had to find him.
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 12:42 pm
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For some, the role of "be a father for whoever may request it of you" might have gone to one's head. There certainly were individuals that he had met who would have basked in such opportunity. Walked with a not indiscriminate amount of swagger.
Ahlaq was not one such lion.
The mantle of leadership was one that was not unfamiliar, even if Umkhombo gave the final word around here. He took the role seriously.
The sandy lion's quiet, almost gruff nature wasn't a hidden fact. Conversations here and there with the native Bonelands lionesses convinced him to open up, if not just a little. 'No one's going to like you if you're so… you know. Rough around the edges,' he remembered Yithemba saying. The thought made Ahlaq sigh. He was born a creature of war. Of tactics and battle, not idle chit-chat and socializing. It was a skin that wasn't so easily shed.
Ahlaq had just finished a patrol of the area outside where the pride had settled. It gave him some nice, quiet time alone. He'd hope for there for be some rogue lions he could tell off. Maybe fight, if they were stubborn. But there was no such luck.
The Umholi was making his way back, now. Deep in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed the lioness until he rounded a brushy tree and nearly ran into her.
"Oh," he said, voice gruff and low, despite himself. His steps came to a stop. An Umzingeli, he recognized, but not one he had spoken with before. "Good afternoon." Well. Better time than ever to start socializing, right?
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Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2018 1:19 pm
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"Headed back, actually." Ahlaq motioned over his shoulder towards the rogue lands. "Making sure there's nothing going on in the nearby rogue lands."
He considered the rogue lands for a moment before turning his attention back towards the lioness. "What about you? Heading out?" Some of the lionesses, he knew, had been going into the rogue lands. Specifically to find a male to father cubs after permission had been granted by the Abaholi. Personally, he didn't see any problem with cubs being sired by outside males. As long as it wasn't a habit. Diversifying the bloodlines wasn't a bad thing, right? And the lionesses around here seemed picky enough to be able to find good matches.
"If so, I could point you in a good direction. I can't go far, but if you need accompaniment…" Ahlaq shrugged. It seemed a good idea to be kind to the pridal lionesses. Didn't want to get one someone's bad side, right? Still. His conversational skills weren't quite up to par, either.
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Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:45 am
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"Ah, yes" she nodded. That was part of their job too, to make sure outside threats were kept outside. At least he was doing his part to ensure their safety, and wasn't shirking his responsibilities. She knew that the females would have no issue removing a male if he weren't to meet their expectations.
She paused for a moment to consider his question. "No," she replied, "Just taking a bit of a walk..." Iyõ hadn't realised her wandering had taken her so close to the border.
"Thank you for the offer, it's probably best though we don't stray too far," she said. She had no intention of leaving the pridal lands on her own, and at least if the male was heading back to the others, she could accompany him for a bit and have a talk, suss out if he would be a good choice or not. "Let's head back," she said simply.
She didn't speak for a bit, mulling over what to say. Finally she came up with something. "Do you like it here?"
She winced at her question, she could have worded that better.
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Posted: Sun Feb 18, 2018 1:54 pm
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Ahlaq nodded, giving a brief "After you," in response before moving at the lioness's side back towards the main concentration of the side. He noted the brief moments of silence. The lion was never one to start conversations. It was lucky for him (in a sense?) that the lionesses of the pride seemed more than chatty enough to start conversations on their own. He supposed that generalization didn't apply for all of them, though.
Her question raised his brow. Did he like it here?
"It's taken a little while to get used to, I'll admit. It's different than what I'm used to. But everyone has been kind." A pause. "For the most part," he added, thinking of the Qyrhyeshti lionesses who weren't particularly fond of his presence.
He continued along in silence for a few more moments, thinking further on the question. "And, I guess, it's nice to have a place to belong, again," Ahlaq continued, his voice a bit quieter and more reserved with the more personal admission.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 12:29 pm
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Iyõ pondered his answer. For some male, she imagined, a life here could be something of a dream. For others, perhaps moreso a burden, or a duty. It sounded like Ahlaq hadn't quite decided how he felt about it.
She understood what he meant though, about having to get used to life here. "I was not born here, I had to adapt to this place as well," she said simply. That was some time ago now though. It had been a long time since she and her sister had been without a home.
She nodded at his allusion to some of the less pleasant lions. Even though they were a pride, there were factions within. She wondered who he was talking about, but didn't ask.
"It is nice," she agreed, her tone matching his, "to have a home."
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:00 pm
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Iyõ stopped when he did. His question caught her off-guard. She'd never had to justify why she'd stayed to another before. She always assumed that her staying, and that others staying were answers in themselves. But, she realized, there is always an exception.
"I do," she nodded, her voice quiet.
"It is my home. This pride took me in, and my sister when we were both at our most vulnerable. They showed me there was another way to life, a sisterhood that extended beyond your own blood. Here... here is family."
She turned her head to look away from him, not quite sure where that had come from. She was embarrassed, not because of what she'd said might have sounded silly, but because what she'd said shown vulnerability, something that wasn't often exposed in the reserved lioness.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:29 pm
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Ahlaq mulled over the words for a few long moments. Finally, he nodded. "That's a good reason to stay," he said, offering a look that gave a hint of a smile. He continued forwards. It was a comforting thought, that this place could offer such a sense of home. Of belonging.
His steps slowed to a halt once more. The sounds of the lionesses and other pride members could be heard, now. "I suppose we're here, now," he murmured, glancing over towards her. "Is there anything that I can assist you with…" his voice trailed off as he realized that, thoughout this entire conversation and exposing of vulnerabilities, he hadn't asked her name. "…I'm sorry, I don't think I ever got your name…" Awkward.
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Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 11:52 pm
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"Ah, we are." She looked onto the others, her eyes lingering over the cubs. They were a joy, and whenever there was new life in the pride there was always celebration and happiness. She hoped she could contribute to that soon.
She could see her sister among the others and was eager to get to her, to talk.
"Oh," she said, of course, all the females knew the names of the new males, but there were many lionesses, she forgot he might not know everyone yet.
"My name is Iyõ," she said. "Thank you for the escort, Ahlaq."
She nodded her head before walking off toward the large group of lionesses to find her sister.
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Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 12:00 am
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